faid, "I fhould advise perfifting in our struggle, though it were revealed from Heaven that nine hundred and ninety-nine were to perish in the conteft, and one only of a thousand to furvive and retain his liberty." The laft refolution of this Affembly imported that another Congrefs fhall be held the 10th day of May 1775, unless redress of grievances be obtained before that time.

General Gage had iffued writs for convoking the General Court of Maffachusetts at Salem on the 5th of October, which fubfequent events induced him to recall; but the Court nevertheless met, and, voting themselves into a Provincial Congrefs, appointed a Committee to present a Remonftrance to the Governor, complaining in strong terms of the late arbitrary laws, and the hostile preparations making to enforce them. The Governor refused to recognize them as a lawful affembly, and warned them at their peril to defift from their illegal and unconstitutional proceedings. To this requifition or menace little regard was paid, and at a subsequent meeting a plan was drawn up for the immediate defence of the province; magazines of ammunition and ftores were provided for twelve thousand militia, and an enrolment made of a number of minute men, fo called from their engaging to turn out with their arms at a minute's warning. Winter approaching, the Governor was defirous of providing barracks and clothing for the foldiers;

but no workmen could be procured; and the merchants returned for answer, that they never would fupply any article for the benefit of men who were fent as enemies to their country. Every thing now ferved to increafe the mutual apprehenfion and animofity. A magazine of powder at Charleftown, near Bofton, had been feized by General Gage's order, and a battery of cannon spiked by a detachment from the fhipping. On the other hand, the fort at Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, was affaulted by an armed body of provincials, and after a flight refiftance carried by ftorm, and the powder it contained was fent off in boats to a place of fafety. A fimilar fpirit of retaliation and resistance almost every where discovered itself. The refolutions of the Continental Congrefs were univerfally confirmed by the Provincial Affemblies or Conventions, and Committees of inspection and obfervation were appointed in order to enforce due obedience to the public decifions.

It is now neceflary to revert to the ftate of affairs in England, where paffion had during this interval fufficient leifure to cool, and the greatest anxiety began to prevail as to the refult of the late measures of Adminiftration. Lord Chatham, whofe fentiments and feelings on all fubjects of public concern must be regarded as peculiarly interefting, in a confidential letter to a friend, dated Auguft 1774, writes, Every step on the fide of Government,

vernment, in America, feems calculated to drive the Americans into open refistance, vainly hoping to crush the spirit of liberty in that vast continent at one fuccessful blow; but millions must perish there before the feeds of freedom will ceafe to grow and fpread in fo favorable a foil and in the mean time devoted England must sink herself under the ruins of her own foolish and inhuman fyftem of deftruction." In a fubfequent letter, he fays, "It is plain that America cannot wear chains. Would to Heaven it were equally plain that the oppreffor England is not doomed one day to bind them round her own hands, and wear them patiently!

-Sævior armis

Luxuria incubuit, victumque ulcifcitur orbem.

Happily beyond the Atlantic this poifon has not reached the heart. When then will infatuated Adminiftration begin to fear that freedom they cannot destroy, and which they do not know how to love?" And in a third letter he says, "I have not words to exprefs my fatisfaction that the Congrefs had conducted this moft arduous and delicate business with such manly wisdom and calm refolution as does the highest honor to their deliberations. Very few are the things contained in their refolves that I could wifh had been otherwife. Upon the whole I think it must be evident to every unpreju

diced man in England, who feels for the rights of mankind, that America, under all her oppreffions and provocations, holds forth to us the moft fair and juft opening for restoring harmony and affectionate intercourfe as heretofore. I trust that the minds of men are more than beginning to change on this great fubject; and that it will be found impoffible for freemen in England to wish to fee three millions of Englishmen flaves in America.”

The PARLIAMENT, which had fat fix years only, was fuddenly and unexpectedly diffolved in the month of September, and a new Parliament immediately convened, which met on the ensuing 29th November 1774, and of which Sir Fletcher Norton, a Lawyer of great eminence, was unanimoufly re-chofen Speaker; for, this high office he had already occupied feveral years, in confequence of the refignation of Sir John Cuft. The King, in his opening fpeech, acquainted the two Houses," that a most daring spirit of refistance and difobedience still prevailed in the Province of Maffachusetts Bay, and had broke forth in fresh violences of a very criminal nature; that the most proper and effectual measures had been taken to prevent these mischiefs; and that they might depend upon a firm refolution to with ftand every attempt to weaken or impair the fupreme authority of this Legiflature over all the dominions of the Crown." The Addrefs pro

pofed

pofed in the Houfe of Commons produced a warm and animated debate. The Minifter was reminded of the mighty effects he had predicted from the late Acts against America. They were to humble the whole Continent in the duft, and the punishment of Bofton was to ftrike an univerfal terror into all the Colonies; that refractory town would be totally abandoned; and, inftead of obtaining relief, a dread of the fame fate would even prevent the appearances of pity, An amendment being at length offered, that his Majefty would be graciously pleased to communicate the letters, orders, and inftructions, relative to the execution of the late Acts, it was negatived by a majority of 264 to 73. In the House of Lords, the numbers on the divifion were 63 to 13; but a Protest against the Addrefs, the firft which had ever appeared on the Journals of the Houfe, was figned by the Lords in the Minority; who, at the conclufion of it, thus exprefs themselves: "It affords us a melancholy profpect of the difpofition of Lords in the present Parliament, when we fee the House, under the preffure of so severe and uniform an experience, again ready, without inquiry, to countenance, if not to adopt, the spirit of former fatal proceedings. But whatever may be the mischievous defigns, or the inconfiderate temerity which leads others to this defperate course, we wish to be known

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